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Five Generations of Computers Checklist

The document summarizes the five generations of computers from the 1940s to present. The first generation used vacuum tubes, took up entire rooms, and could only solve one problem at a time. The second generation used transistors, which made computers smaller, faster, and more efficient. The third generation used integrated circuits, which further increased speed and efficiency. The fourth generation used microprocessors, putting entire computers onto single chips and leading to the development of personal computers and networks. The fifth generation, based on artificial intelligence, is still in development.

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117 views

Five Generations of Computers Checklist

The document summarizes the five generations of computers from the 1940s to present. The first generation used vacuum tubes, took up entire rooms, and could only solve one problem at a time. The second generation used transistors, which made computers smaller, faster, and more efficient. The third generation used integrated circuits, which further increased speed and efficiency. The fourth generation used microprocessors, putting entire computers onto single chips and leading to the development of personal computers and networks. The fifth generation, based on artificial intelligence, is still in development.

Uploaded by

Vinamra Tandon
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Five Generations of Computers

Checklist
 Getting Started: Key Terms to Know
 First Generation: Vacuum Tubes 
 Second Generation Transistors
 Third Generation Integrated Circuits
 Fourth Generation Microprocessors
 Fifth Generation Artificial Intelligence
First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes
The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous,

taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, the

first computers generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.

First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by

computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time, and it could take days or weeks

to set-up a new problem. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.

The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first

commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

A UNIVAC computer at the Census Bureau.

Image Source: United States Census Bureau


Recommended Reading: The First Computer, Webopedia's ENIAC definition. The first computer, ENIAC, was

developed by Army Ordnance to compute World War II ballistic firing tables. It weighed 30 tons and used 200

kilowatts of electric power.


Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors
Transistors replace vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in

1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum

tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-

generation predecessors.

Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast

improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and

printouts for output.

Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly, languages,

which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languageswere also being

developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that

stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.

The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.
Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits
The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were

miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency

of computers.

Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers

through keyboards andmonitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many

different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time

became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors
The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a

single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel

4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer—from the central processing unit and

memory to input/output controls—on a single chip.

In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh.

Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more

everyday products began to use microprocessors.

As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually

led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development ofGUIs,

the mouse and handheld devices.
Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence
Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some

applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and

superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and molecular

andnanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation

computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-

organization.

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